


Spin the Bottle

by Mothmeme



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Cultural exchange, M/M, Secret Santa Fic, Spin the Bottle
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-11
Updated: 2018-08-11
Packaged: 2019-06-19 18:53:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,402
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15516321
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mothmeme/pseuds/Mothmeme
Summary: Garak and Julian talk about literature and schooling. The subject of 'spin the bottle' comes up.





	Spin the Bottle

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Starry_Dragon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Starry_Dragon/gifts).



“Well, I find the book rather… Hard to follow. The- abbreviations. They are something I can’t stand. I can’t keep track of all of them. And doctor, what is this ‘spin the bottle’ game they keep referring to?”

Garak was of course referring to the book he had been reading this past week which was picked by Bashir. It was an old Terran novel about a girl in an education program called either middle school, or high school. There was no low school, Bashir had informed him when the subject of schooling had first come up. That did seem somewhat odd to Garak, but it was hardly the oddest thing he had learned about human culture from Bashir. And he doubted it would be the last.

He also knew full well what spin the bottle was, Garak just wanted to hear Bashir explain it.

Their discussion on this particular subject had started a week before when Bashir had just finished a piece of Cardassian literature Garak had recommended to him the week before. It was not an enigma tale this time, but the simple story of an orphaned young woman who balanced the responsibilities of caring for her younger brothers, pursuing an education, and of grueling work for the state during a time of war. It was a somewhat classic 'coming of age' story often read by Cardassian children.

Bashir had made a quip about how Garak seemed to be likening him to a child, or at least only as intelligent as one. Garak knew he hadn't actually insulted Bashir when he then went on to say that he actually did enjoy the book. He quite liked reading about the life of a nearly ordinary Cardassian citizen, who was not at all a criminal for once. The main character was not suspect of anything, and she did not end up guilty and on the receiving end of a Cardassian trial. He even liked the writing itself, as juvenile and simplistically bland as it was. The book was like a breath of fresh air.

Bashir found himself captivated by the education system depicted in the novel. After all, the protagonist was able to balance taking care of her family, getting herself an income, and also going to school. Bashir was astonished at the amount of support she got, not only from her teachers and classmates, but from the system itself. It was so different from education on Earth, and naturally he wanted to learn more. In between talking about education, Garak caught bits of what Terran education was like in the past, at approximately the same time the story had taken place on Cardassia.

Garak was astonished at the old 21st century education system, which Bashir had taken as an opportunity to throw the worst piece of literature Garak had ever set his eyes on at Garak that very next day. It was a rather crude story, and Garak had been glad to have finished it by the time it was over. Garak had never liked human writing at all. Why Shakespeare was a classic was beyond him, but Bashir had never recommended something so meaningless. He had to wonder if this was what the human idea of a prank was.

"Well, ‘Spin the bottle’ is a game usually played by adolescents." Bashir absentmindedly fiddled around with his water bottle.

Bashir was of course completely finished with his lunch, having eaten it so hastily it was as though he hadn't eaten in days. Every time the two had lunch together he ate like this. Garak still hadn't figured out if this was a trait inherent to humans, or if this was something unique to the doctor. Garak didn't partake in lunch with enough humans to really know.

Garak nodded, swallowing a bite of own meal. Cardassians took their time eating, and Garak was no exception. This was why they had the time to discuss so much literature during lunch. If he ate just as quickly as Bashir did, what would the two have time to talk about?

"I could gather that much, my dear doctor," Garak smiled. "But do go on."

Bashir bit his lip- something Garak had observed that he did when he was nervous- and set the bottle back on the table, facing on its side instead of facing up. Garak couldn't help but take special notice of this. He tilted his head up, which was about the equivalent of a Terran raising an eyebrow.

“With ‘spin the bottle’, the players sit down in a circle and in the middle of the circle will be a bottle. A player spins the bottle, and whoever the bottle ends up pointing at is someone they will have to kiss. Sometimes it varies though, and players have to do something else, like give them a hug. It also gets mixed up with other games.” Bashir eventually explained after an awkward moment of silence. He wasn't looking Garak in the face anymore, instead opting to take a good look down at his own empty plate.

"Interesting," Garak paused thoughtfully. "And this is done for fun?"

A rhetorical question.

"Well, yes." Bashir answered, ignoring the attempt to goad him. Instead, he flicked his water bottle, watching it spin.

It came to a stop. Bashir flicked it again, now looking Garak in the eye as it spun. When the bottle stopped spinning again, it was pointing at Garak. Bashir smiled at him hesitantly, fixing a now unrelenting stare on Garak. He leaned over the table. Before Garak could say anything about it, Bashir had set his lips on Garak’s. Bashir was warm. Garak almost leaned forward, just so he could get more of that heat. After spending years on this bleakly cold station, in his exile far away from the warmth of Cardassia, any source of warmth seemed welcome; of course the thought of clinging to Bashir at the replimat seemed more than reasonable for a good, long second.

It took Garak a moment to realize that this was a kiss, a very common sign of affection between mammal species. Like humans.

Garak had expected this, having been subtly trying to instigate it for years. He had first introduced himself to Bashir by setting his hands on his shoulders. No doubt Bashir knew what that meant coming from a Cardassian. Had figured it out. Garak would guess that he had no idea at the time though, considering how many years it had taken for Bashir to do what he had just done. He had thought about being in a relationship with Bashir numerous times while he was alone with thoughts of his only friend on this forsaken station and a bottle of kanar to keep him company. Garak hadn't been in a relationship for years, and the only bearable person here was far from unattractive.

“Doctor,” Garak broke the kiss up, not quite able to hold back a fond smile.

Bashir smiled back at him, looking exuberant. His eyes shone like little stars.

"Yes, Garak?"

He really hadn't been as clever as he thought he was, but the execution worked out well enough, he would give him that.

Garak said as such, delighting in Julian's sputtering that, well, it wasn't like he planned this before coming over to the replimat.

“Well, I am done with my lunch, and seeing as I have work to do today, I really should be taking my leave.” Garak smiled.

Then, in a more Cardassian gesture, Garak grabbed Bashir's hands and leaned forward until their foreheads touched. He could still feel the warmth radiating from Julian's body, and before Bashir could say anything, Garak had his lips on the other’s. 

They were sort of kissing again. Really what was happening was Garak was forcefully digging his lips into Bashir's in a way that stung. For a moment, their teeth clashed and they both winced. Garak had no idea what he was doing and that was very awkward to say the least. It was definitely less soft than that first kiss. Their first kiss.

Garak knew that had significance. He would have to take note of the day.

When they separated again, Bashir appeared somewhat dazed. He didn't seem to care that Garak was no expert at returning human affection.

"I will be seeing you tomorrow, I trust?"

"Of course, Garak."

Garak then got up from his seat and left for his shop.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not sure what Cardassians do instead of kissing, but I always assumed it involved their foreheads. What is the thing on their forehead called anyways? I hesitate to call it a spoon because I think I heard 'spoonhead' as an insult towards Cardassians in an ep. I've seen chufa used but I'm unsure if that's fanon or canon. 
> 
> Wow I hope you like this.


End file.
